In a departure from the high-velocity debates of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Marina Abramović has unveiled her latest immersive installation, THE BUS, encouraging attendees to connect with the present moment.
Developed in collaboration with the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI) and the Mirjam Varadinis Art Agency, THE BUS is a former school bus turned into a “mobile exhibition space on wheels.”
Participants are invited to enter the bus to “pause and embark on an inner journey that has the potential for lasting change and transformation,” according to the project’s website. Once inside the cabin, they surrender their digital devices and are equipped with noise-canceling headphones. They are then guided through the Abramović Method—a series of exercises focused on breath, stillness, and temporal awareness.
“THE BUS is a mobile capsule where people can experience stillness and a connection with the present moment and themselves,” said Abramović in a statement. “It’s an invitation for an inner journey that becomes collective. This is how we begin to find common ground and create space for dialogue and peace.”
The project debuted in the Swiss town on Monday and is part of the WEF’s art and culture programming that includes projects by artists including Thijs Biersteker, Ronen Tanchum, and JR.
In an interview with the WEF, Varadinis—who is a curator-at-large at the Kunsthaus Zürich—said that the “scale and influence” of the conference—which is attended by world leaders in business and politics—creates a “unique opportunity for meaningful impact.”
“Introducing THE BUS in Davos, at the nexus of global dialogue and within the Forum’s official arts and culture programme, feels both urgent and deeply aligned with the project’s purpose,” she added.
Commitments to dialogue and peace are recurring themes in Abramović’s practice. At the 2024 Glastonbury music festival, she invited festivalgoers to partake in seven minutes of silence, something the artist spoke about in her interview on The Artsy Podcast last year.
Following its Davos appearance, THE BUS will then travel to Zürich in the summer, where, in collaboration with the University of Zürich, Abramović will also conceive dedicated workshops aimed at young people and adolescents.
